temporal lobe

American  

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

1. the lateral lobe of each cerebral hemisphere, in front of the occipital lobe.

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temporal lobe British  

noun

1. the laterally protruding portion of each cerebral hemisphere, situated below the parietal lobe and associated with sound perception and interpretation: it is thought to be the centre for memory recall

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temporal lobe Scientific  

1. The lobe of each cerebral hemisphere lying to the side and rear of the frontal lobe. The temporal lobe controls hearing and some aspects of language perception, emotion, and memory.

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Etymology

Origin of temporal lobe

First recorded in 1890–95

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

temporal lobe

Located within the brain's temporal lobe, the hippocampus helps organize information and plays an important role in forming new memories.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026

Al-Hashimi became a polyglot — speaking English, Farsi and Armenian — in part to curb the effects of a seizure disorder on her temporal lobe, which is crucial for language comprehension.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

Dr. Flaherty provocatively suggests that Van Gogh suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy and that his condition may have played an important role in his achievements.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 3, 2026

“The barrier was very leaky and obviously damaged, especially in areas like the temporal lobe which is essential for learning and memory.”

From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2024

Soon after Broca's announcement, a German named Carl Wernicke identifies a second area on the left temporal lobe that separately controls the ability to understand speech.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

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